Winemaker Notes
Straw blonde color, with light shades of green and a subtle nose of citrus fruit. Excellent structure with a depth of flavor and an acidity which brings the flavors to the fore and adds freshness, with a lasting after-taste. Has the characteristic mineral taste, typical of the variety and the soil of Santorini - at it's very best.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Santorini Assyrtiko, the flagship 100% Assyrtiko, is unoaked, dry (1.9 grams of residual sugar, six grams of total acidity) and comes in at 15.1% alcohol, a notable spike. That has some pros and cons. This is not the zestiest Assyrtiko, but it sure is ripe and rich. It sits in the mouth, coating the palate and seeming very weighty. Yet it doesn't always seem expressive, at least not today. It also seems to hold the alcohol pretty well, and hopefully that will continue as this ages. So far, so good, in other words, but this will be interesting to watch as it evolves over the rest of the decade. They normally age well. Will this have the structure to do so? In terms of concentration, for that part of the deal it is just packed with fruit, even if the fruit seems a bit closed right now. Again, so far, so good, but other years might surpass it in terms of aging.
Rating : 91+
A crisp white variety full of zippy acidity, Assyrtiko comes from the volcanic Greek island of Santorini but is grown increasingly wide throughout the country today. Assyrtiko’s popularity isn’t hard to explain: it retains its acid and mineral profile in a hot climate, stands alone or blends well with other grapes and can also withstand some age. Somm Secret—On the fairly barren, windswept Mediterranean island of Santorini, Assyrtiko vines must be cultivated in low baskets, pinned to the ground. The shape serves to preserve moisture and protect the growing grapes in its interior.
